


Spiraling

by honeyedlion



Category: Tiger & Bunny
Genre: Developing Relationship, Drama, Face Slapping, M/M, Rough Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-22
Updated: 2013-11-22
Packaged: 2018-01-02 08:50:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1054837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/honeyedlion/pseuds/honeyedlion
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Barnaby over-reacts. But only a little.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Spiraling

      Kotetsu jogged after him in an attempt to catch up, mouth spreading into a wide easy smile, his eyes bright when he looked in his direction. He threw an arm around Barnaby’s shoulder, pulling him close, ignoring the slight tensing of his shoulders as he tried to pull away.“Oya, Barnaby! You want to go get something to eat? I’m starving, and I know this-“  
  
    Barnaby wanted to hit him.  
  
    “No, thank you. I was just leaving.”  
  
     A lie. He had just gotten there, after spending half the day lying around his apartment, unwilling to face anything. He had been planning on working out some frustration, punching something unmoving until he felt less like punching Kotetsu. That plan was now shot. On the other hand, here was Kotetsu, looking adorably clueless and therefore imminently punchable.  
  
    “Eh...” Kotetsu was scratching his head now, that stupid, stupid smile wiped off of his face, and it made Barnaby angry that he was sorry to see it go. “Bunny-chan… Is something wrong?”  
  
    Of course something is wrong. Do you really think that something like that could be forgiven so easily? I want to slap that idiotic expression right off of your face. How can you be so oblivious? How can you think it’s all okay between us?  
  
    Barnaby smiled, a thin tired smile, and wanted to roar in triumph at Kotetsu taking a small step back. He settled for pulling away from the arm still looped around his shoulders.  
  
    “No, I’m fine. I’ll see you tomorrow?”  
  
    He breezed past the other man without a word.  
  
    Kotetsu turned to Dragon Kid who had been doing lunges while watching them from the corner of her eye.  
  
    “Eh…”  
  
    “Don’t ask me.” She said pragmatically. “If he won’t tell you that means no one knows.”  
  
    Kotetsu sighed, and went to go change.  
  
…  
  
    Tiger lay on his couch. His coffee table was a mess, food wrappers, cups turned on their sides, books, candy wrappers, and his mask laying in a jumble. The TV was playing something loud and repetitive, even though he honestly couldn’t remember turning it on. He looked at the phone in his hand, and pressed his second speed dial again.  
  
    “Barnaby desu. Sorry I’m not at the phone right now. Please…”  
  
    Tiger let the phone snap shut. There was no reason for Barnaby to be not answering the phone. He just couldn’t figure it out. He had replayed the last few days in his head over and over again, and he just couldn’t understand what was going on. Bunny had been fine, and then suddenly. Suddenly it was ‘Tiger-san’ this, and ‘Tiger-san’ that, and every invitation turned down with a weak excuse. It was infuriating.  
  
    And it hurt a little, actually. After everything they’d been through together, now that everything was stable for the first time, he didn’t understand why Bunny was being like this. He had thought at first, it was because he was leaving, but Bunny hadn’t acted strange anytime he brought it up, in fact, it had sparked a sincere offer to help him move, even though he had called him Oji-San in the process. Kotetsu had laughed it off then though.  
  
    Now with Bunny-chan acting how he was he didn’t know what was going on. He hated this.  
  
    Kotetsu tapped the screen of his phone, his hands gentle on the delicate screen. He opened his photos, fingers moving with quick familiarity. He had transferred the photos from his old phone to this one, when he had gotten it, even though he had to have Kaede do it for him. He slid lovingly past photos of Kaede grinning from a dance recital, his mother surrounded by flowers, a random picture of Fire Emblem blowing a kiss (and where did that come from?) until he hit the first picture with Barnaby in it, a side shot from the congratulatory banquet last year.  
  
    Because he was merely in the background, his face was in profile the fine arch of his nose sharply defined by the flash, and Kotetsu chuckled a little. He knew Bunny well enough to know how uncomfortable he must have been that night, all those eyes on him waiting for him to goof.  
  
    The next photo was taken by Rock Bison after their first joint catch, and his thumb was obscuring half the photo, but Kotetsu could see their faces well enough, the bright grin on his own and Bunny-chan’s half-smile, his eyes lit with genuine joy. That had been a good day, and he smiled now just thinking of it.  
  
    The next was a candid shot from the locker room. He skipped past it. He didn’t know why he’d kept it. It was probably a little creepy, but if anyone asked, he’d just say he was planning on selling it on the internet.  
  
    He swallowed, and skipped to the next photo. It was a picture of Barnaby looking at the sunset from the rooftop of that Hotel that Lloyd-san favored for Hero get-togethers. His hair was bright, the sun catching on each rounded curls, and his mouth was quirked slightly, the collar of his dress shirt opened at the throat. Kotetsu remembered taking this photo, unsure of why he felt the need. Barnaby had looked at him like he was losing it.  
  
    Kotetsu swallowed again, a little harder his thumb stroking over the photo. To be honest, he… he missed Barnaby. They had been… well, friends, or something like it. Close friends. It wasn’t something Kotetsu had gotten a lot of, and it was nice. He liked having someone to go see movies with, and to seek out whenever the Heroes all hung out. He was good at making friends, but –  
But Barnaby… Bunny-chan was…  
  
    Kotetsu looked back down at the phone and slipped to the next photo, a smiling picture he had taken that day when everything went so wrong, that Christmas Eve when they had watched the ice-skaters and he…  
  
    When he had…  
  
    He was an idiot.  
  
    Kotetsu sat up, pillows falling to the floor in his haste. He was an idiot, and he needed to find Barnaby right now. He stood and slid his shoes on, grabbing his keys one handed as he jogged to the door. He knew what Barnaby was like. He knew he’d never discuss something like this. How could he? How could Kotetsu not have noticed? He shook his head, and slipped his cap on before slipping out of his apartment.  
     
    He knew what he had to do.  
….  
  
    Barnaby lay in his bed, glasses on the table beside him, watching the green numbers of his clock flicker from one minute to the next. He felt so tired. After he had left the workout room he had gone immediately home, and spent time double checking every bit of information he had on Ouroboros. He knew he had to let go, he was retiring after all, but he needed something to distract from his thoughts. And without Kotetsu, there was nothing, really.  
  
     A soft knock on his door, made him pause, and after a moment he slipped from his bed, a sheet falling on the floor at his feet. He paid it no mind, reaching instead for his glasses, pushing them up his nose with a practiced flick of his fingers. He stepped out into the living room, stretching as he went.  
  
    The city was beautiful at night, a gleaming vista that never failed to make him pause. This view was why he’d taken this apartment, which was in an otherwise awkward part of town. This view, this glimpse of the city he loved…  
  
    Another rap at the door, a little more urgent now, and Barnaby swung the door open without checking to see who was standing in his hallway, and immediately wished he had. If he had known he would have pretended to not be home. Childish, yes, and knowing Kotetsu, ineffective. If he had something to say he would have just torn the city apart searching for him.  
  
    Or worse broken in his door.  
  
    “Tiger-san.” Barnaby said, and even he could hear how hollow his voice sounded as he stepped aside, a sweep of his arm inviting the older man inside. He suddenly deeply regretted not taking the time to put a shirt on. He was only wearing a soft pair of sleep pants, and under Kotetsu’s watchful gaze he felt bare. He resented how even when he was angry he was affected this way, and the thought made him shut the door a little more firmly than necessary.  
  
    Kotetsu stepped inside, the soft fabric of his shirt brushing against his bare skin making Barnaby swallow as he locked the door behind him, taking the moment to calm down. He had missed how he smelled even, that warm cinnamon and spice undertone that seemed to rise from Kotetsu’s skin.  
  
    God, he was messed up.  
  
    “Ah…Barnaby…”  
  
    Barnaby watched him clutch his hat, and stutter a bit more, his cheeks flushing darkly in the dim room. He hadn’t bothered to turn on the lights on his walk to the door, and he left them purposely off now. It felt safer to be in the dark the way he was feeling now.  
  
    Really when the phone calls had stopped, he should have expected this.  
  
    “Yes?” He leaned his head back against the wall behind him, his posture relaxed, and Kotetsu’s hands clenched on his hat before he reached back scratching nervously at his hair, laughing a little as he did. Barnaby was actually beginning to enjoy this a little, even as he felt bad. Kotetsu-  
  
    “I. You-“ He paused, and Barnaby remained silent, watching him. “I. You are angry about the- the- the-“  
  
    Barnaby left him to dangle a moment longer before murmuring “Angry?”  
  
    Kotetsu’s hands clenched on his hat again, and this time he looked angrier then miserable. Barnaby tried to ignore the slow flush of arousal that immediately rose in him. Kotetsu was just so-so passionate all the time. He felt things so fiercely, it made him jealous. It made him want.  
  
    “Why are you being like this, Bunny? We’re partners! I came here to apologize, and you’re playing with me. I- I never, I didn’t mean-“  
  
    “To hit me?” Barnaby said and his voice was soft, so soft and deadly neutral that Kotetsu flinched back a bit, before stepping forward, and his total obliviousness to personal space was something Barnaby had always liked about him, but right now, right now. His hands clenched into fists at his sides.  
  
    “Yes. I did. And I am sorry. It was totally out of line.”  
  
    “That’s not good enough!” Barnaby yelled, surprising himself, surprising Kotetsu more. He stalked forward, pushing himself into the older man’s space, close enough to breathe the same air, and Kotetsu startled back, just a little. Barnaby was breathing heavily, his chest rising and falling with the force of his anger. He was so angry suddenly, so angry he was shaking with it, and it was all pushing its way out of his mouth in an angry stream. “You hit me Kotetsu, and I may have been in the wrong until right then, but you-!”  
  
    He cut off his words, and took a stiff step away squaring his shoulders.  
  
    “You betrayed my trust Kotetsu-san. And I don’t know how to get over that.”  
  
    Warm hands fell on his bare shoulders and he shivered-the tiniest tremble running through him. He hoped that Kotetsu hadn’t noticed, hadn’t noticed the way he had relaxed minutely into those hands he had wanted on him so badly before he gathered himself enough to pull away.  
  
    “I am so sorry, Bunny.”  
  
    And he sounded sorry, he sounded tired, and worn-down and Barnaby wished he wasn’t angry, wished he hadn’t said those things, then, that day in park. He hadn’t meant them. He hadn’t meant them at all, but he’d had so much of people leaving in his life, and for it to be Kotetsu- Kotetsu who he-  
  
    Who he-  
  
    It was the last straw.  
  
    “I wish I could take it back, or make it up to you.” Kotetsu muttered against the back of his neck, breath hot on his skin. Barnaby whirled, suddenly furious all over again, and Kotetsu was close enough to kiss or bite.  
  
    “Make it up to me? What could you possibly-“  
  
    “Hit me.”  
  
    “I’m not going to hit you.” And Barnaby’s voice was slow and measured like he was restraining himself through great effort, but now that he had the idea, it seemed like Kotetsu wasn’t going to let go of it, like a dog with a bone.  
  
    “C’mon, Bunny –chan, just hit me. Call it even. I won’t even move. I want us to go back to like we were before, I miss having you as a friend-“  
  
    Barnaby’s hand was moving before he even registered it, swinging wide to land on Kotetsu’s unsuspecting cheek with a vicious crack, tilting his head to the side, and Barnaby had a brief moment to feel remorse, before those golden eyes looked up at him, one hand reaching up to rub his jaw ruefully.  
  
    “Do you feel better now, Bunn-“  
  
    Barnaby caught him unsuspecting with the broad palm of his other hand, his breath coming out in furious gasps feeling vicious vindication and sinking shame as Kotetsu stumbled a little to the side. He lowered his hands to his sides, panting, and Kotetsu looked up at him with narrowed eyes, watching him like he was a dangerous animal, and suddenly he hated himself for being this way. For doing this.  
  
    He lifted a hand, and pointed at the door.  
  
    “We’re even. Now get out.”  
  
    Kotetsu straightened slowly; watching him with obvious confusion written across his features and looked back at the door like it would help him, before stepping forward, one hand reaching out to Barnaby.  
  
    “I said, Get OUT.”  
  
    Barnaby realized with sudden horror that he was crying, thick heavy tears, and his arm was trembling where he held it pointing uselessly at the door Kotetsu was obviously never going to walk out of. He put his arm over his mouth, trying to not make any sounds, trying to hide, even though it was already too late. He could feel his shoulders shaking as he stared at the ground, begging Kotetsu to leave in his head, so that he could sink to the floor where he wanted to be.  
  
    Instead of leaving Kotetsu came forward, resting a hand on his shoulder again. Barnaby could feel the heat of him through his clothes, to press like something living against his bare skin, and he tried to pull away, but Kotetsu held him there, his arm exerting bruising force on his shoulder.  
  
    “Barnaby. What is really going on?”  
  
    His voice was so warm, and Barnaby looked up, his glasses fogged with tears. Kotetsu was looking down at him, warm and worried, and he was still angry, but was more ashamed now. He could see the bright red staining Kotetsu’s cheek from where he had hit.  
  
    He pulled him a little closer, and kissed him.  
  
    Kotetsu’s mouth fell open in shock, and Barnaby pressed forward, and he didn’t know what he was doing anymore, he felt like his heart was bursting in his chest. Kotetsu’s mouth was warm and he tasted like popcorn and Barnaby pulled back abruptly. His mouth felt wet, and strange, no longer his own, and he stared at his carpet. His arms hung awkward and stupid at his sides, and when he spoke his voice was strangely thick.  
  
    “That’s…” He swallowed. “That’s what’s going on.”  
  
    He stood for what seemed like an eternity before flicking his eyes up at Kotetsu who had a hand over his eyes, posture slumped, and never in his life had Barnaby wanted to take something back so badly.  
  
    “Bunny-chan…” Kotetsu breathed, and the Barnaby was pushed back into the wall, a thigh sliding between his legs as he stood frozen in shock. His cap falling thoughtlessly to the floor, Kotetsu slid a hand into Barnaby’s hair and used it to haul him close. His face was red, and he was breathing fast enough to pass out, glasses sitting crooked on his nose. “You’re an idiot.”  
  
    Kotetsu pressed him into a kiss, nothing like the sloppy wet one from a moment before. This kiss was all teeth and gasping breath, and his thigh was nudging into him rhythmically, pressing into his cock, which had stiffened so rapidly it almost hurt, aching and full. Kotetsu's whole body was pressed against Barnaby in a warm, heavy line, and he could barely breathe.  
  
    Barnaby tried to pull back, tried to draw in breath to speak, to ask a question, but Kotetsu just pushed farther into him, laying him flat against the wall, grinding his leg into him, and Barnaby was shaking now, his muscles tense. He reached up, trying to push him off, but Kotetsu just nipped at his bottom lip, and pinned his hands to the wall with one of his own, the other still tangled in Barnaby’s hair, using it to move him like he was a doll. He was pinned so easily, and his hips were riding Kotetsu’s leg now, desperately wanting the rough friction.  
  
    Kotetsu pulled back a little, licking a wet stripe down his neck, before biting his collarbone, high enough to be easily visible, and Barnaby flushed all over at the thought of everyone seeing something so obvious on him.  
  
    “Ko-Kotetsu!” And he was so close, so close, he was going to come in his pants like a kid,]and suddenly Kotetsu slid down him a little latching teeth into his nipple and pulling at him, until his skin was wet and red. His hand was grinding the bones in his wrist together from where he was pressed to the wall. “Kotetsu…wait…”  
  
    Kotetsu pulled back, leaving his skin puffy and red, breathing heavily into his ear.  
  
    “No, Bunny-chan.”  
  
    A hand slipped down, past the elastic waist of his soft pants, and it took a stroke of that big palm against the length of his cock, maybe two, and he was coming, hips bucking, biting his lower lips to try and muffle the wail he let out. He was panting and sweating, the adrenaline from the conversation previous leaving him shaking. Kotetsu was looking at him like he had no idea who he was, and Bunny felt panic grip him, sudden and sharp, and he tried to pull away, but Kotetsu held him easily against the wall like he was a child.  
  
    His hand was pulled out, and Barnaby could see where he had left it sticky and wet, even in the dim lighting of the room. The thought made him flush again, and he closed his eyes for a moment, before working up the courage to look at his partner again. Kotetsu was musing over his hand, and he looked up, those bright eyes staring into his before bringing it up to his mouth and licking the wetness off in broad swipe of his tongue.  
  
    Barnaby felt his cock twitch.  
  
    “You taste good, Bunny-chan.” And Kotetsu was smiling now, a big easy smile and Barnaby was so confused, so very confused. He should be mad, he should be disgusted, he-  
  
    He was kissing him again, tongue sweeping in, and Barnaby could taste himself, thick and bitter on Kotetsu’s tongue and it made him hot, made his blood pound in his ears. He pulled back, and Kotetsu let him this time, even though his arms were still stretched above his head, and beginning to shake from the strain of holding them there.  
  
    “You-Kotetsu- what-“  
  
    “I…me….?” Kotetsu said and he was still smiling, his eyes so light and happy that Barnaby couldn’t help watching them. “You have to make sense, Bunny-chan.”  
  
    “You-you-you aren’t mad?”  
  
    “Mad?” Kotetsu seemed puzzled, and then laughed a little, and the rolling chuckle went through Barnaby’s skin to sink into his blood. It made him warm and nervous and excited all at the same time. He pressed into Barnaby again, bringing their hips together and rubbing against him like a big cat. Bunny felt feverish. “Do I feel mad, Bunny-chan?”  
  
    He felt warm and thick and Barnaby wanted to see it, wanted to taste him, wantedwantedwanted. If this was real, he was so greedy for it, and he pulled against the hand holding him to the wall, staring at Kotetsu’s eyes, muted gold, and the flush of his cheeks, the pout of his lower lip and the stubble darkening his chin. He wanted this, and when Kotetsu let him go reluctantly he pushed him to the floor, ignoring his sudden shout.  
  
    He had his pants worked open in seconds, hands full with the thick weight of him, and Kotetsu was arching into him and cursing, and Barnaby sat across his legs to hold him still, while he bent down sucking the fat, flared head into his mouth, lips stretched wide to accommodate the width of him. Kotetsu smelled like spice and something heavier, like blood here, and Barnaby could feel his cheeks hollowing as he sucked, wanting it all inside of him.  
  
    “Bunny…fuck…” He spread a greedy palm against the flat plain of Kotetsu’s stomach, feeling every twitch of muscle under his hand, every contraction as he sunk down around Kotetsu’s cock, swallowing convulsively as it pushed at his throat, twitching in his hand.  
  
    Kotetsu buried hands in his hair, holding him in place, and he choked a little when the older man bucked into him, shoving forward, before he went rigid, and came with a hoarse, bitten off cry. Bunny tried to swallow, but the thick warm liquid spilled past his lips and down neck, painting its way across his chest as he pulled back. He pushed his glasses back up.  
  
    Kotetsu was breathing hard, one arm thrown across his eyes, pants open and Barnaby began to worry when Kotetsu’s shoulders began to shake, and suddenly he heard the laughing. Huge, belly laughs that shook the frame under him, and Barnaby stared at him for a long moment.  
  
    Warm arms wrapped around him, pulling him flat onto his floor, and crushing him into a firm chest, and he breathed deeply, feeling Kotetsu shake with laughter under his cheek. Kotetsu paused for breath.  
  
    “What?” Barnaby asked, and Kotetsu was relieved to hear him sound so normal, so snippy.  
  
    “You’re so cute, Bunny-chan. That’s all.”  
  
…  
  
    Dragon Kid watched as Tiger-san passed a water bottle to Barnaby, their fingers tangling during the exchange. Barnaby blushed like a schoolgirl, before yanking away like he was burned, busying himself with drinking while Kotetsu grinned smugly from his workout bench. She looked over to Fire Emblem who nodded knowingly one finger tapping his nose, and she smiled. It was good that they had worked that out.  
  
    Very good that-  
  
    She paused, mouth falling open as they walked out the door, waiting until they were almost out of sight, before Tiger-san grabbed Barnaby’s hand, holding it tightly in his own.  
  
    “Ugh!” She said, slumping onto the bench, and Fire Emblem sidled up, looking at her concerned.  
  
    “Blue Rose.” She said with the tone of someone about to witness great tragedy. “She’s going to be unbearable.”

**Author's Note:**

> Check out my [tumblr](http://honeyedlion.tumblr.com/), and leave a request!


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